SCARCITY OF MEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 156, 30 June 1914, Page 10

SCARCITY OF MEAT .

COMPETITION FOR SUPPLIES.

WILL IT BECOME PERMANENT? [FROM our OWN CORRESPONDENT,] ; London, May 20. The Times has a notable article on the coming scarcity of meat—a scarcity which, in the opinibn of some authorities, must inevitably become permanent. "The history of the scarcity is the history of increased meat consumption," says the Times. " Meat-eating has always beou a feature of prosperity. When a man's position in life improves, he generally increases the range of his diet, adding to it more of the stimulating foods, of which meat is the chief example. The vast stream of emigration from Poland, Italy, and other European countries to tho United States of America did not at first greatly affect the consumption of meat in that country. These emigrants lived largely upon' a diet of cereals. Prosperity, however, lias altered this. The settlors, year by year, join the ranks of moatoaturs. Meanwhile, Japan has appeared

in tho market, and various European countries, including' Russia, are beginning to absorb larger meat supplies. " The results are well known to those

interested in tho meat trade, and are

viewed by them with considerable misgiving. The United States, which used to send huge consignments of moat to this country, has sent nothing at all during the Inst two years; instead, it has abolished its meat tariff and is importing on a largo sealo. At present, the keenest competition is taking place between British and American buyers for the available supplies of Argentine and Australian meat.

Position Very Serious, "A prominent importer stated that tho position was exceedingly serious. Tho price of cattle- had gone up very much, and was increasing. 1 It was bound to increase still further. While the population of the United States had gono up 10.000,000 the'number of cattle has declined by 8,000,000. Breeders wore snatching the opportunity of high prices and selling without regard to future necessities. The. Continental demand for veal, too, was responsible for, the slaughter of immense numbers of calves in Argentina. 'In my view,' this merchant stated, ' we have a real and absolute meat scarcity at present, which in a year or two will have become acute. Britain will probably be forced to grow her own meat as in the old days, or to pay something like famine prices. This view was supported by another very largo importer, who declared that already the very nigh price of canned .meat showed how difficult it was to obtain supplies. " ' The prospects of obtaining supplies/ he said, 'are gloomy in the ' extreme. Democratic Governments tend to split up large ranches into small agricultural holdingii, while industry, steadily encroaohes upon the available grazing land.'

Heat Now a Luxury.

"It appears, therefore, that we are rapidly approaching a time when meat may again bo nnmpored among the luxuries. Tlio effects of this change would bo farteaching and important.' British farming and stock-rearing may bo expected to enter upon an entirely new phase, in which scientific methods will be of the greatest practical value. Labour will be attracted back to the land, and if the people want moat they will have to get it home-grown rather than from .abroad.. Nor will the workers.lightly surrender the generous moat' diet, the advantages of which they have learned to appreciate, and upon them the scarcity and high prices will press hard. A meat diet is widely believed in as an essential to hard physical. and there are no substitutes which approach the original in nutritive value.

"It fakes about four years to bring an animal .to beef-yielding age. This fact must be set against the ideal that in' Mexico and Siberia the world possesses great cattle-bearing countries at present not fully developed. No doubt in time these countries will contribute to tho world's supply. When that time comes, however, the world's consumption will have advanced still further. There can be' no doubt' that at a moment when the Australian Government is instituting an inquiry into the state of its meat production and exportation— inquiry made necessary by the establishment of American firms and works in that country—Britain cannot afford to sit with folded hands."

Higher Prices Likely. The Meat Trades Journal admits that the situation is serious in respect of all forms of meat food, especially cattle, and prophesies: "So far as we can judge, the prospect points to much higher prices than we nave yet seen." It is pointed out that "English and Scottish feeders have not been ablo to securo one-third of their usual store supplies, with the result that animals in forward condition are realising fat stock prices. There are other factors at work, such as the • diversion of supplies from Argentina and Australia and the opening up of Continental markets."